Monty Oum, the First Huntsman
by Lord Revan Flame
Summary: On February 1st of 2015 at 4:34 P.M., our beloved Monty Oum passed away. In this time of mourning, many of us have decided to immortalize him in memory, including me. This is the story of not Ruby Rose nor Roman Torchwick, not of Yang Xiao Long or Neopolitan, no, this is the tale of a hero and a huntsman, the huntsman. Here, I shall spin the tale of Monty Oum, the first huntsman.
1. Tale of the First

**Hello all**

**You may remember me, the author of two stories, The Girl Who Ran and Remnant Knight**

**Well**

**This is not an update or a new story**

**This, in fact, began as a one shot, but now it is a project**

**Actually, it is a memorial**

**A memorial in which we will remember the man, the legend, the creator**

**Mounty Oum**

**If you do not already know**

**Monty Oum passed away one day ago on February 1, 2015 at 4:34 P.M.**

**We mourn his passing, but we will remember him and his great legacy that he leaves with us**

**Let us never forsake his works and his life, but instead immortalize him in memory**

**That is what this is for, this story to behold**

**Now, I give you**

**Monty Oum, the First Huntsman**

* * *

Ruby shifted in her sleep, letting out soft snores and little noises as she tossed and turned. The memories of the Valean Breach were still new and fresh, searing the images of a burning Vale into her mind. She awoke in a loud gasp, her bed shifting from its rope suspenders.

Seeing no one awakened from her own awakening she shrugged and began to lay back down when a whine caught her ears. Down below, Zwei was wagging his tail, looking up at her with large eyes full of worry. The scythe wielder looked down at him with a tired expression.

"What is it, Zwei? Do you need to go out?" she asked with a frown.

He gave another whine and ran to the door, scratching at it. Before he could bark, she had jumped out of bed and quickly dressed as to not be caught in her pajamas while taking him out. Nestling Crescent Rose in its compact, she began walking him out.

Outside the dorms, the night breeze fluttered her cloak. Her pale skin turned paler, turning from porcelain to an almost vampire white color. After letting the corgi do his business, she walked it back to the threshold of her dorm. However, she did not make it before she noticed a hue of green and purple. Curiosity turned her mind away from sleep as she snuck over to a support pillar of one of the aqueducts that encircled a part of the main avenue of Beacon.

Down at the end of the avenue an airship was docked, a single figure stood alone in the night. A cool breeze swept by and fluttered their unzipped, black suit and let her see a green scarf. As she moved closer, she continued keeping an eye upon the mysterious being. This was a mistake, however, as the young huntress-in-training stepped on a twig, snapping it.

The figure, a man she realized, perked up and turned in her direction, giving her a view of tousled, silver hair and tinted spectacles.

"Ms. Rose?" he called upon seeing her crimson hair in the light of a light pole.

"Uh, hi, Professor Ozpin," she nervously greeted, standing up with shaking knees and a flustered face. "H-how are you d-doing?"

He eyed her, raising an eyebrow and tilting his head to the side as both his hands rested on the head of his cane. With a single movement, he had pulled his cane up and used it to gesture at her, silently asking her to come towards him. Ruby obeyed and walked over, Zwei nervously following behind, letting hushed whimpers and whines out.

"Would you please explain to me why you are out here, in the middle of the night?"

"Well... uh, sir... I was... letting my dog go to the bathroom?" she squeaked while twiddling her fingers.

The corgi at her feet let another whine out and bowed his head down, putting his paws on his snout. Ozpin looked down at the small dog before letting a soft smile grace his lips, letting an amused breath come out of his nostrils.

"It is quite alright, Ruby," he claimed and looked back at the statue he stood before. "I, myself, have come out into the night on important matters."

She raised her eyebrow, tilting her own head this time.

"What's going on?"

"Nothing that should concern you," he assured and emphasized by pushing a hand forward lightly. "Unless, you would like to be concerned about it?"

"I, uh... sure?" she cautiously answered, letting a shy smile out.

With a small chuckle, he turned to the statue and pulled off his purple cross pendant. Placing it on a small Beacon symbol, she noticed a soft glow of blue emitting from them both. Suddenly, without a warning besides Ozpin's hand on her shoulder, the base of the statue shifted and opened up to reveal a threshold. Far down a corridor stretched, the walls of it made of intricately carved stone with patterns of dust running along them, glowing a soft blue hue that illuminated the hidden passage.

"Shall we?"

Ruby turned to her headmaster, a surprised and shocked expression on her face that as quickly replaced with one of excitement and curiosity.

"Let's go!" she squealed and Ozpin began leading her down into Beacon's past.

Ruby could hear the threshold close midway down the corridor, but did not fret. This was Ozpin, one of the most famed huntsman of his time and headmaster of Beacon Academy, he surely had plan on getting out without being noticed. The journey down was fairly long, but not to long as to draw boredom as the Ruby let her eyes wander the sides of the walls, seeing symbols of all kinds etched into them. Images of all kinds of weapons, plants, places, and various other things lined the walls in intricate versions.

Soon, she realized that these were not just simple symbols, but the symbols of huntsmen and huntresses past. Turning to look up at her elder, she parted her pursed lips to ask the question on her mind, "What is this?"

"The only _true_, surviving memory of an age long past," was his only answer, not taking his eyes off the end of the tunnel.

Eventually, the two approached a massive set of metal doors, the symbol of Beacon etched onto them. Carved into its very iron, the image seemed to give off an aura of power and strength. Walking several steps forward with a hand placed on Ruby's shoulder to stop her from following, Ozpin took a statue like pose in front of the doors. With both hands on the top of his cane and elbows tucked into his sides along with his legs straightened, he seemed to impersonate a statue itself, standing firm and frozen.

Suddenly, a light began to glow beneath him and Ruby realized a glyph had faded into existence under his very feet. It cast a green glow over the dark stone floor, turning clockwise as Ozpin stood upon it. In an instant, the glyph flashed out of existence and the massive iron doors parted to reveal a great chamber within.

A river sat around an island of green within a vast cavern. Waterfalls let pouring water come down and, somehow, smoothly pass into the river. It remained crystal clear as all the unclean and impurity of it seemed to wash away down into a tunnel that most likely lead to another waterfall somewhere. A neat, wooden bridge arced over the river allowing both visitors and Zwei to walk onto the grassy island.

Lush, green grass fluttered as moonlight poured into the place several holes in the cavern ceiling, most likely unnoticeable from above. Paths of cobbled stone seemed to lead across the island, from many different stone altars. However, beyond each of them, there lay a single, mighty one that stood apart. Built majestically with a podium of marble standing before it, the altar seemed to be made in honor of something or someone remembered greatly.

"Whoa," Ruby gasped as they set foot onto the grass, "now what is this place?"

"This, Ms. Rose, is the resting place of our forefathers."

"Wait, _our_ forefathers? What does that mean?"

"Allow me to explain, Ruby," he offered and she nodded as he lead her to the grand altar where he rubbed a hand over a plaque.

Ruby squinted her eyes, attempting to read the dusty metal as he brushed it off, eventually able to see the inscribed words with the help of several dust crystal lamps and the moonlight:

_Here lies our champion and hero,  
__Monty Oum,  
__The First Huntsman_

Her eyes read it over and over again, even her mouth moved to spell the words.

"The first huntsman?" she breathed in disbelief, slver eyes as wide as the cafeteria plates and her breath ragged as if she had run twenty miles without her semblance.

"Yes, Ruby," Professor Ozpin responded as he turned with a smile. "This is the tomb of our forefathers, our precursors, those who came before and founded our kin. This, is the monument to Monty Oum, the very first huntsman whom saved both mankind and Faunus-kind from extinction."

The young girl could not believe it, this place, this hidden memorial beneath Beacon was the resting place of the very first huntsman in existence!

"B-but wh-why, h-how, what!"

With an amused smile, he began to sit down on the grass, setting his cane down on his lap, "Perhaps, it would be better if I explained this thoroughly." Patting the ground in front of him, he gestured for her to join him on the ground. "It is quite soft."

Still showing shock, she began to sit down on her crossed legs, Crescent Rose still on the back of her waist as Zwie curled up next to her.

For some time, the headmaster of Beacon Academy stared at the cavern ceiling, then at the altar of Monty Oum, then finally, at Ruby Rose, herself.

"My dear Ruby Rose," he began and she blushed a bit as he continued, "I brought you here because of all the students I have seen and trained, you show potential so much greater than even I."

She listened intently, the sound of trickling and pouring water soothing her soul as did the sight of Ozpin in the moonlight.

"While this is the honest truth, it is not the full one," he continued and she tilted her head in curiosity and confusion. "I am not the same man I once was, I was not the same huntsman who enjoyed the thrill of the hunt and the company of my fellow brothers and sisters-in-arms."

Ruby leaned back, putting her hands on her knees as she rocked on her crossed legs, anxious to hear what he would end up telling.

"I shall start from the very beginning," he claimed and looked up at the ceiling where the scythe wielder's gaze followed, her mouth dropping at the sight of dust crystals embedded into the cavern roof. "Many millenia ago, perhaps even eons, it began with this very castle."

* * *

"You will not find a place like this one anywhere else, not even here at Beacon shall its halls of old be comparable."

"Why's that?"

"Because now I rule over these halls, but all that time ago, Beacon Castle stood under the rule of Queen Vale."

"Queen Vale?"

"Yes, Queen Mavis Vale, the Angelic Protector, Lady of the Field of Battle, Fair Maiden of the Highest Order."

Across valleys and mountains, past forests of emerald and crimson, there lay the mighty Kingdom of Vale. The people here were prosperous, citizens under the mightiest of rulers. The line of Vale remained secure in Mavis Vale and her daughters and sons, princesses and princes, trained to be defenders of the people no matter what for the people faced a grave threat they had known since their ancestors set foot on Remnant.

At the very beginning of Human life, there was darkness, a great darkness that would have consumed them had they not had the will to persevere. Humans, were strong and persistent, they were steady and morally strong. This power lead them to combat these monsters they faced, these beasts of shadows, paladins of bone, the drinkers of blood, the Creatures of Grimm.

Man attempted to spread its influence, its power by expanding, but it was not to succeed. Every kingdom established fell, every settlement made razed, and every tent pitched was torn down. Far to the north, the Kingdom of Atlas faired better than others with its great craftsmen whom created mighty machines of war and walls of defense. To the west lay the Kingdom of Vacuo, home of the mystic prophets whom studied the cosmic energy within themselves to fight the Grimm. Then, to the east lay the Kingdom of Mistral, home of warrior born fighters, each man taught to wield a blade and every women taught to harvest sustenance to supply their defenders and families.

It was the eastern lands that fell to the Grimm first, then the west, and soon, even the north fell. Only Vale stood strong against the darkness, the original capital returned to its roots as refugees flooded into it.

Aboard one ship from Mistral, on this floating mass of wood and cloth there was one man and his family who waited for safety. This one man, this one, single, insignificant mortal would be the hero of mankind, he would be champion of both Men and Faunus.

This man, this Monty Oum would become a huntsman, the first and original huntsman.

* * *

**Chapter One: Fine**

**There it is my fellow mourners, the first chapter of an incredible tale**

**I will attempt to forge a schedule on which to post new chapters**

**Hopefully, I will be able to post every other day, maybe every two days**

**Now that, that is finished**

**I would like to say this and this alone**

**Goodbye Monty**


	2. The First Encounter

**Hello and welcome back students of Beacon Academy**

**Both official and transfers**

**Welcome back to the tale of Monty Oum, the First Huntsman**

**Today, we have the beginning of his journey from a simple boy to a great man**

**Thank you all, for your support, not to me, but to Monty and his family**

**I know, that his wife and father and siblings face hard times with his passing**

**Many of us cannot share the same pain, but there will be a few**

**There will be a few who do feel the same, cold pain in our hearts**

**Even now, I let tears drop as I write this, slowly, and thoughtfully**

**May Monty Oum rest in peace, may he finally receive the rest he deserves after all his dedicated and hard work**

**Now**

**Let us continue the tale of the First Huntsman**

* * *

The waters of the vast ocean rocked the ship as he slept, his head bowed as his back laid against the vessel's walls. His sisters and brothers were around him along with his father whom slept on the ground as to give them all the comfort that could be mustered from this wooden ship. Above, the sound of feet striking the deck continually announced the worry of the crew members.

Their worry was justified as they had little means of facing the Grimm who dwelled in the oceans, rising from the deepest and darkest of depths to prey on their kind. He snapped one eye open, then the next, his sleep over. Now was the time of work, now was the time to begin shaping his life further. Getting up and stretching, he stretched his limbs and was soon walking up to the deck.

"Excuse me!"

The captain of the ship paid no heed to him, instead, keeping his eyes and mouth directed at the crew mates.

"Draw the mast! A new wind approaches!" he shouted and several men came around, unfurling ropes and letting them go as to let loose the mighty wall of canvas to catch the wind.

"Excuse me, sir?"

"What is it, boy!" boomed the captain, turning with a hardened expression on his face. "Can you not see we are working!"

"I, I can, sir," the young man answered and bowed slightly out of respect, "I simply wish to ask if there is any work for me?"

"Do you wish for rewards?"

"No, only to help us get to the Kingdom of Vale," he spoke and the captain eyed him, two fingers coming up to rub the thin moustache that grew from atop his lips.

"Very well, boy. We'll need help watching for any beasts in the waters and skies," he explained and waved his arm out to the open expanse of pale blue and deep blue beyond. "The Lady of the Field of Battle's lands lay far off, but we shall arrive in two days time if the sky maidens are with us."

The young man nodded, his locks of black hair shifting as he did so.

"Alright, up onto the crow's nest- wait, you are not afraid of heights, are you?"

"No, sir," he confessed and the captain nodded before handing him a compact tube from a pocket.

"Alright, here, this'll give you a good sight of the beyond. Any fins in the water or feathers in the air, you shout down, alright?"

"Yes, sir."

"Good boy, now get up there!"

* * *

The clouds of grey and white lazily passed by, the rain from the day before having moved on to pour upon the ocean elsewhere. The stench of moisture and seawater filled the young man's nostrils as he leaned against the side of the crow's nest. There were two others up here with him, both of them young men like him, but the difference was that one was a Valean and the other like him, a Mistralian.

"So, what are the villages of Vale like again?"

"I've already told you," the Valean groaned and slouched against the rim of the crow's nest. "The hills and mountains are green, the caps or pure white with snow, and civilization is gold and crimson. Large homes fit for us, markets filled with bread and wine and meat. All of it, wonderful!"

"Certainly sounds promising," the newest member of the trio muttered and the Valean perked up.

"Hey! He speaks!"

He brushed off the lighter skinned man's comment and pulled up the compact tube to his eye, extending the spyglass to watch the dark waters and pale sky. The seawater lapped against the boat, licking its already wet sides as it cut through the deep blue.

This was what happened every day for two days, climbing up to the crow's nest and surveying the open seas. The young man's father had taken to helping the other crew members move around crates and supplies as his siblings helped in cooking and cleaning the ship along with various other things.

"Ahoy!" a Valean sailor shouted up at him and he looked down, his ears barely picking up the voice. "Are we near land yet?"

He did not know what the man had said, but he did know what kind of question it was. His head moved left and right, shaking in a "no". The Valean sighed and walked off to find another swig of whiskey as the rest did the same. The sound of a sea breeze brushing past his ears and fluttering his hair made the makeshift sailor look back out towards the beyond. By the captain's calculations, they should be near the Kingdom of Vale, yet no land was in sight, no color of green or tan or gold or crimson, only blue.

The young man rolled his eyes at the sound of crashing below, most likely another drunk falling onto a barrel. He could hear scuffling and kicking feet, then a shout, and then the slumping of the drunk as they subdued him. Onboard this vessel, with many other refugees, he had seemed to make a family from all of them. The Mistralians were kin, even if they came from different ethnicities of the same kingdom.

Suddenly, a new sound reached his ears and he jumped up. A frightening terror had driven an ice spike into his heart as he looked out into the grey clouds. There was no sight of anything, anything close at least. Extending the spyglass, he looked out to see a dark cloud... no, it was a silhouette of something... something big.

"Grimm!" he shouted down moments before the sound reoccurred, this one revealing itself as a powerful, reptilian roar that burst the clouds open as a pitch black figure flew overhead.

It was a massive beast, its chest the size of the ship while a long, thick tail wavered behind it. Two muscular legs hung off its lower body as two arms extended out with vast leathery wings attached to them. Its black scales gleamed hauntingly in the pale sunlight as its natural, bone white armor plating shifted as it flew, blood red markings on it adding to the malevolence of the monster.

He began to try and climb down from the crow's nest when he saw the Grimm circle around, headed straight for the mast. With only moments left before he experienced a painful death, he decided to take a chance. Jumping off the ladder, he free fell as the beast crashed into the mast, ripping it out of the ship.

Pulling the spyglass over him, he used it as the handles of a makeshift zip line all the way down on a rope that was quickly being forced down by the broken mast. Reaching out, his hands found the ropes of the rigging, gripping it. A yell of pain escaped his lips as his arm jerked on it, but he held onto it for dear life nonetheless, watching the main mast fall into the water. The loud splash resounded throughout the area as he climbed down, his siblings and father waiting with worried looks.

"Son!"

He was squeezed by his father, but he gave no resistance or protest, hugging back with relief.

"Take it down!"

His eyes moved up to the skies where the voice had come from, the femininity in it almost making him think an angel had called out. Out of the pale clouds came a figure dressed in white robes and silver armor, a Vacuon who leaped across many different floating symbols.

"A Glyph Maker," a voice behind them breathed and he looked back to see the crew coming up behind them, awe on their faces. "And Air Walkers."

More people joined the fight in the skies, all of them donned in fine armor and cloth. From below deck, refugees poured out to see the commotion. Everyone marveled at the sight of the world's greatest warriors, the Knights of Remnant facing the black beast.

"What are they doing all the way out here?" a sailor questioned and realization seemed to sprung into the captain's eyes.

"They're not. Brace for impact!" he shouted and grabbed the nearest rope.

Everyone was thrown down as the bow of the ship splintered on stone and wood, striking the docks of Vale with great force. Slowly, it began sinking as people got up and went to the sides.

"Down here!" one man shouted and leaped down onto the docks, helping down a woman and child. "Keep coming!"

"Go Thea, Theary," his father ordered and sent them to the side as he did his brothers and him as well. "Go!"

"What about you father?"

"I will help others escape," he stated and began to do so, putting a little girl and her dog down onto the docks before letting them run to their family.

"Come on!" his brother shouted and they started running up the dock towards the massive threshold that was the entrance to the city. Each one of the siblings ran as fast as they could, slowing down at times to keep the same pace as the slowest.

Eventually, they did reach the enormous stone pillars that held an arch up, but behind them, they watched their father and the rest of the crew members finish offloading refugees. Beginning to run, it seemed that they would make it, but then the Grimm reappeared. It gave a terrifying roar and crashed into a tower, toppling and sending it crashing into the side of another tower. The sisters screamed and the brothers gasped as rubble fell upon the sailors and the few refugees who were with them, their father included.

Their feet carried them to the pile of stone and their hands reached for pieces of rubble, removing them to find bodies and wounded men.

"Father!"

They all crowded around their brother, watching him swipe dust off his unconscious form.

"He's alive," another sibling stated as he felt for a pulse.

A roar echoed above and they shrunk as the beast flew across the skies once more, still followed by the Air Walkers and Glyph Makers.

Turning his head, the young man who had survived the fall from the mast looked into the tower beside them. The hole caused by the crashing of the first tower. Within, guards rushed their comrades to safety, helping them limp or limping together out of the destruction and death. One dropped a crossbow, the weapon made of wood and string and metal clattering to the floor.

Upon seeing the Grimm fly overhead once more, a decision was made in the raven haired, young man's mind.

"Where are you going?" his siblings yelled and screamed at him as he grabbed the long range weapon, climbing the steps to the top of the tower.

This was the only hope for his siblings and possibly the town. As the creature of darkness swooped pass, he tried to aim, but his arms were to shaky, to cold and stiff. Fear was still evident in his heart, but courage was slowly growing as he looked over the Kingdom of Vale before him. The city of Vale was in near ruin, a good portion of it set ablaze as men and women hurried about, dousing the licking flames with water.

Here he stood, standing bravely against the titan of the sky as it swerved through clouds being pursued by the defenders of this great kingdom. Aiming and pulling the crossbow up to eye level, he fired a single bolt of metal. It flew, whistling through the air like a blur of silver, and then it flicked off the seemingly iron scales of the beast. His eyes grew wide, seeing not even a scratch in the gleam of the pale sun on its pitch black scales as the steel bolt fell into the ocean.

The beast flew past, an after wind rocking the tower and causing dust to settle on his shoulders and hair. The sound of speeding feet caught his ears and he looked at the stairs to find his brothers there, one with a quiver of bolts slung over their shoulder.

"What're you doing?" one questioned, his face full of shock and disbelief. "We need to get dad out of here!"

"Then do it!" he shouted back with a solemn tone, "I'll keep that monster up here and not down there!"

They stared at him for a moment before the one with the quiver handed it to him, a regretful frown on his face.

"Then you'll need these," he claimed and hugged his brother as did the other sibling. "Come back, please."

"I will," was all Monty Oum could say and turned to the monster in the skies, loading another bolt before aiming again.

* * *

**There it is**

**Monty Oum's first battle with the Grimm**

**Let it be known that the First Huntsman faced the dragon Grimm as his first battle**

**Armed with a crossbow and a dozen steel bolts, he fired and fired away**

**How he bested the beast, you will need to see in the next chapter**

**May there be honor to him, Monty Oum**

**Goodbye**


	3. Monty Oum, the Dragonslayer

**Welcome back all readers and viewers**

**It's a pleasure to remeet your acquaintances as we share in mourning**

**Today we have the first battle of Mounty Oum**

**Needless to say**

**Mounty Oum, the Dragonslayer**

**Now**

**Sorry about the extended wait i.e. several days**

**That is due to my laptop being some big, new advanced thing that has all these controls that are suppose to maximize usage, but instead makes it a f***ing stupid piece of **** that constantly deletes my document while I write so I can't save what I was doing**

***Deep Breath***

**So sorry about that, now hon we go**

**Onto the tale of the First**

**Onto the legend of Monty Oum**

**Ey?**

* * *

The dragon Grimm flew past, roaring as it let loose a torrent of flames. A burning tornado seared a great flaming trench through the docks. The Oum family ran as far as they could, standing soon near the wall as Monty, himself, faced the beast.

He fired, bolt after bolt, at the great beast, but they did little effect. Soon he was down to only three, three single steel bolts. Loading on in, he took great aim and fired, the bolt striking its eyes, but a third eyelid had covered it, protecting it from the attack.

"Damn," Monty cursed, angered at yet another failed hit.

Moving to grab another, his hand paused and he hesitated upon seeing the last two. For a moment, he stared in disbelief at how many he had used, but now, now he needed to do this. Loading the next bolt, he looked out at the Kingdom of Vale, a burning district amongst a land of gold and crimson. The creature shook the very air as it boomed across the city before flying back up, the Knights of Remnant giving chase.

"You know, its missing a scale."

Monty jumped and almost fell forward over the railing had a hand not grabbed the collar of his tunic. Pulling him back and turning him around, he came face to face with an older man in armor over leather. It held a fair share of soot and ash on it, obviously done by the flying beast.

"Wh-what?"

"A scale, we managed to blow one off. Well, it was actually Mavis' shot, but-"

"But what?" a new voice called and a suddenly, a woman appeared on the tower, holding onto the railing as she stood on the exterior, leaning back without care that she was a ways above the ground. "I took off that thing's scale."

"One scale."

"Yeah, a whole scale. What've you done, blown air at it?"

"Argh, we don't have time for this," the man spoke and pointed at himself. "I'm Aiden, that's Mavis." He pointed at the woman, a redheaded vixen wearing the same armor, but the cloth beneath was crimson. "It's missing a scale on the left side of its chest, right where the heart is. Shoot it there and it'll die."

"How am I suppose to hit it?" he asked and held up the crossbow. "This is my first time holding one of these and I just barely manage to hit it, let alone hit the eye!"

"We'll slow it down for you," Mavis claimed and leaped off before become engulfed by flames. His eyes widened as she turned into some form of elemental being, her body turning into a bright light of burning orange as flames erupted from her.

A great burst of fire flared from her feet and propelled her up before she made a constant flame shoot out of her feet. Like a Mistralian firework, she shot up and continued flying up into the sky before flipping and firing orbs of flames at the creature. It sent it stumbling a bit in its flight, but it regained control as she propelled off again. Aiden leaped off the tower as well, a swirl of air becoming visible and lifting him up like a tornado that constantly surrounded him.

The seemingly elemental individuals shouted orders to the rest of the Knights and soon there were glyphs and blasts of elements striking the creature. It stumbled and roared as it was thrown about by the constant attacks. Bright flashes of flames, boulders of stone, tendrils of water, or blasts of air knocked the Grimm around. Glyphs of all colors would appear, making it smash into them and lose control of its flight momentarily.

Monty watched with fascination, seeing these great warriors actual slowing the beast down. However, he remembered they could _only_ slow it down, they couldn't slay it... but he. Raising the crossbow up, he took aim and watched as the sun illuminated a bare spot on its breast. One single area that did not gleam, one place where a scale was missing. He aimed, breathed, prayed, and then fired.

The bolt of steel whistled through the air, slicing through smoke trails and clouds like a ship through the seas.

Then, it happened. The bolt struck home and slicing into its flesh.

A smile grew on his face as he watched the beast stumble in the sky, now crying out in pain, but he realized that it wasn't stopping. In fact, it seemed that the Grimm was becoming enraged as it let loose another cataclysmic rain of fire down upon Vale.

"No!" he cried out as he watched a section of the wall crumble, the same section his family had been at.

Turning around to grab the last bolt, he froze. His eyes locked on the final piece of ammunition. It was a short silence that he interrupted to grab it and load it. Pressing his finger to the trigger as he pulled the weapon up, he stared down the sight that was simply to metal prongs sticking out.

He took in a deep breath, feeling the air dry his windpipe and fill his lung. He let it escape and so his throat eased as he closed one eye to look through the other.

This was it.

The final chance.

"Die," he breathed and pulled the trigger.

The nut clicked and the bolt went flying, the entire crossbow recoiling in his arm. He watched the blur of steel fly and strike the unsuspecting beast's eye as it tried to snap at a Knight. With a great gush of black blood, it roared in anger and that was the opportunity the other needed to start fighting back for good. He watched the fiery redhead, Mavis dive down and grab a hold of the bolt he had embedded in its chest.

With a mighty heave, she pulled it out and the Grimm roared in agony again as more black blood poured out of it, this time with a glow of orange glowing from the hole in its chest. She jumped out of the way as two knights in the same armor, but wearing blue clothing flew up on a great tidal wave and pushed a tendril of water into its heart, cooling its insides.

The beast thrashed and began clawing at the air as it flew up and up and up. Gasping and roaring with rage as it drank in clouds and smoke. Monty watched in terrifying awe as the beast gave one last roar, this desperate, yet enraged roar that rang out through all of the city of Vale.

It began falling then, a mass of black and white that crashed down into the docks. The tower shook and only then did he realize how unstable it had become with each passing moment. Quickly acting, his feet raced him down the steps as cracks appeared through the stone. The foundations crumbled and the tower following, collapsing in on itself just as he jumped out of the hole which he had come in through.

There was loud, thundering boom as the building crumbled into debris, but it was a victorious one. He smirked upon seeing the face of the beast before him, the tower falling to reveal it. Blood leaked from its eye still, creating a vast puddle that seemed to be an ocean of its own, inky and dark, stinking of death.

"Monty!"

He perked up, hearing his father calling for him and so Mony Oum appeared atop a pile of rubble.

"Son!"

"Father," he called out with a smile and a chuckle, joy encasing his heart as his siblings appeared as well.

"Monty!" they all cried out in unison and ran down with their parent to give him a great hug.

* * *

"You're the dragon slayer?"

Monty nodded, standing up on his heels and rolling on the balls of his feet. His arms were behind his back as he held a flat line of a mouth, trying to keep his fear away as the general paced in front of him. The man was a brutish sort of man, his skin as dark as dirt, but not the dirty kind, no, it was like the dirt of a battlefield, hard and yet soft for a dying soldier. His hair was a dark brown like coffee, seeming black, yet when observed closely revealed a brown tint.

"What's yer name, boy?"

"Monty Oum, sir."

He looked at him, sucking in a breath of air through his nostrils before letting out a mighty, hearty laugh.

"Ya look like a twig!" he bellowed and slapped a gloved hand on his knee, his armor plates clanking and clashing with each other as he shook with amusing joy. "Sorry, just been a while since I've seen a civie step up to be the hero."

"Uh... thanks?" he spoke and the general put a hand on his shoulder.

"No problem, kid. The name's King, George King, the best damn fighter this side of anywhere!"

"Uh, okay..."

The young man trailed off, blowing a lock of raven black hair out of his vision as the man roughly shook his hand.

"So, what's the reward?"

"What? Reward?"

"Yes, the reward. Heroes always want something, so what do you want? Nice little mansion fer yer family?"

"I, uh-"

Before the young Mistralian man could answer, the door to the room slammed open. The brass knuckle was thrown against the stone bricks of the wall as a girl stood there, quivering as she looked at the General's annoyed expression. She wore the white and blue attire of a messenger, being small and cute, but holding a fearful face as the dark skinned man looked at her.

"Whatcha want, girl!"

She yelped in surprise and pulled a paper she held close to her chest closer, her fingers threatening to tear it in half as she gripped it as if it were a death grip.

"I, uh, I-"

"Answer me!"

The messenger girl was almost on the verge of tears and so the General backed off, sighing in frustration.

"Just... just sit there and let me finish talking to the dragonslayer-"

"That's why I'm here," she interrupted and looked at me. "Her majesty would like to meet with the dragonslayer."

Monty blinked in surprise, stunned at the message.

"Well then," General King spoke as he crossed his arms with a grin. "Seems that the queen wants an audience. Best not disappoint her, boy."

* * *

Moments passed and he was suddenly in the throne room, standing and marveling at the intricate design of the place. Massive pillars held up a high ceiling with windows letting in great beams of sunlight. Banners of crimson and gold hung from brass poles on walls and pillars and from underneath windows or mantles and trophies. Guards stood like statues, some holding spears and others ready to unsheathe blades in an instant. In two instants, he was sure they could have their shields on their backs in front of them, ready to move forward against attackers.

His surveying was interrupted by the untimely slamming of the metal doors to the throne room. Twirling, Monty Oum lay his eyes upon the most beautiful woman he had ever seen. She was tall and older, in her prime with fair skin and hair the color of scarlet. Blue embers were what her eyes were, flickering with innate courage and strength as she stumbled forward.

"Hello!" she nervously greeted, finally finding balance and taking more steady strides forward.

Her feet padded softly on the velvet rug that ran across the tiled floor. She walked with grace, the white and red and golden cloth that flowed down her curves shifting with every movement. Golden jewelry sparsely adorned her perfect figure, a single necklace around her neck, earrings hanging from her ears, and rings on her fingers. She seemed angelic, like a being from the heavens come down to reward him.

A crown was set upon her head, neither to large nor to bulky. Instead, it was perfect, majestic and glorious being made of gold and taking on more fluid shapes with jewels embedded in it.

"You must be Monty Oum, the dragonslayer, Hero of Vale," she questioned and he nodded, his cheeks holding a faded red color and his eyes locked on her as she neared closer to him. She was at least several feet from him when she began walking around him, keeping her front to him as to have her back towards the throne when she reached the other side of the rug. The rest of the journey was made by walking backwards for her and soon she was standing before the golden throne, greatly complimenting it as it complimented her with its alluring metal and its cushions and cloth used for comfort. "You should know who I am," she began as he snapped out of the haze he was in.

The woman bowed her upper body, eccentrically twirling an arm in the air before setting it under her chest and putting her other arm on her back.

"I am Queen Mavis Vale, the Angelic Protector, Lady of the Field of Battle, Fair Maiden of the Highest Order."

He was in awe at her humbleness even though she was superior to him in social standards.

"I, I am very honored to be here, malady," he spoke and bowed as well, taking on the well known Mistralian bow which was simply his right fist in his left palm as he bent forward slightly.

"The honor is truly mine, oh savior of my people," she said and threw at him a small pouch.

He caught it, stumbling back in shock at the action and at the weight of the pouch. Looking up at her, he saw her nudge her head, gesturing for him to open it. Cautiously, he pulled the string and grabbed the rim of it, widening the opening to see golden coins and a medallion bearing the symbol of the Kingdom of Vale upon it.

"That is the symbol of my kingdom, you may use it to return to the royal castle any time you wish," she claimed with a smile that revealed a bit of pearl white teeth that allured him like gold.

Suddenly, a small knock came from somewhere and her joyful expression dropped to a frustrated one.

"Mavis!"

A short wait of silence occurred before the metal doors to the throne room opened and in poured a group of seven lead by none other than the Mavis whom had helped him combat the dragon Grimm.

"S-sorry, mom," she shyly spoke and twidled her fingers together.

The queen looked at her, apparent, daughter and then at Monty Oum, "I'm sure you've already met my eldest daughter and child, Mavis Vale the Second, a Knight of Remnant."

Her daughter was just like her mother save for the more energetic and bombastic nature coupled with a younger body.

"Yes, she helped in toppling the dragon," he explained and she nodded, no smile coming to her face.

"Well, allow me to introduce the rest of my children," she said and waved an arm at three teenagers, all three girls and all three resembling each other. "Kira, Mira, and Fira, triplets I had some thirteen years ago." Each one wore the same exact clothing save for the necklaces that hung around their necks, each with different precious stones. Kira wore a ruby as Mira had an emerald and Fira owned a sapphire. Their hairs were all shades of red, going into the realm of crimson rather than scarlet like their mother and eldest sibling.

Moving her arm to two older boys who seemed to be entering the years of a young adult.

"Jeremy and Jerome, separated by a year," she introduced and the boys, both with heads of blonde hair nervously smiled before bowing their upper bodies. Both were dressed in leather armor with various buckles and belts.

"Then the last one," she said and Mavis pushed forward a small girl holding a porcelain doll.

Her hair was short with crimson locks, seemingly black yet having red when observed closely. She was an adorable thing, almost like a doll herself with her pale skin and large blue eyes.

"This is Halcyon, my youngest," Queen Mavis introduced and the girl looked up at the dragonslayer with her large eyes, both blue ember like orbs glistening with wonder and awe. "She's a silent one so I wouldn't expect words coming from her."

The little girl tilted her head, looking with pursed lips at the hero of Vale. As Monty curved his lips into a warm smile, the queen turned her head up and glared at her oldest child.

"Now, Mavis. Would you please inform me of why you were eavesdropping with your siblings?"

"We were curious?" she squeaked under her mother's glare and after a short scolding, the queen sent Monty on his way back to his family.

* * *

"How was the royal castle?" his father asked as he approached his family, the Mistralians numbering seven.

"It was nice," he answered as he sat himself down in the chair at their table.

The Oum family was seated around a table, eating some bread and drinking some milk at a small restaurant they had found near the castle. It was a small thing that didn't seem to get much attention so the prices were low enough for them to afford.

"Just nice?" one of his sisters questioned with a smile, "not magnificent or glorious?"

"Lots of gold and fancy cloth," he admitted and his family chuckles or stifled laughter.

"Well son," his father spoke and stood up, pushing his chair back as he did so. "Her majesty has provided us a 'decent home', as she put it. I would suggest we go take a look."

* * *

**There we have it**

**The end of Chapter 3**

**So, this is the first part of the story**

**Monty's ascension to a hero**

**Next part will be his recognition as a hero**

**So**

**Remember**

**Let me hear the feedback on this**

**I want to know if what I'm doing is the best I can do or if I can do better**

**Now**

**Let us take a moment to remember our role model,**

**Monty Oum**


	4. The Dust Grimoire and the Army of Ghosts

**Hey guys, welcome back**

**New chapter to the tale of Monty Oum**

**So this sets the stage for the major conflict**

**Now**

**We'll be delving into Vacuo's past a bit**

**So let's move**

**Now**

**I'd like you all to join me in listening to the history of the First Huntsmen**

* * *

Years have passed since the "Scorching of Vale" as they call it. The dragon had been slain by the most unlikely of persons, a Mistralian Refugee. It was the Hero of Vale, Monty Oum who was revered for bringing down the black dragon, the Creature of Grimm.

In the years that moved by, he rose up into the world. The spoils of that first battle he fought were given to him, armor made of the dragon Grimm's scales and bones woven with the finest silver steel links and fibers. He trained with the Valean princes and princesses, finding himself a friend of the royal family. People looked up to him, seeing him as a man who had become a leader, and a leader he did become.

As tensions arose between the upper and lower class citizens of the Kingdom of Vale, it was Monty Oum who brought peace to it. Poverty was a thing of the past as he used his power in the monarchy to address the queen with knowledge of the lower class that her advisers could not.

This show of power was favorable for the poor and homeless whom found themselves with homes and with coins. More time passed and slowly, Mankind was finding itself a new foothold in this dark and terrible world. It was some time in his mid-twenties that Monty Oum was asked for a special mission by the queen herself.

"You want me to what?" he questioned, standing before the revered Queen Vale, herself.

"I would require your aid in the expansion of our kingdom."

"Expansion? But I thought that we weren't overflowing with citizens."

"We are not, but our people are becoming anxious," she explained, striding around the throne room with her hands behind her back, her royal clothing flowing behind her, "they seek their homes back, they want the kingdoms of Atlas, Vacuo, and Mistral to rise again."

"How? How could we do that?"

"With knowledge long forgotten," she answered and threw at him a scroll.

Catching it, he stared at the ancient parchment on which arcane symbols were scrawled in neat rows and columns.

"Take that to the Mystic Archives," she stated and motioned her head at the door. "It resides in the Vacuo district, hidden beneath the old library. That scroll is the only way you'll be getting in."

Motioning her hand, the guards at the door turned to their left or right, opening passage to the doors. In moments, the young man was on his way through the streets of Vale to the district in which the Vacuon refugees had claimed as their own.

"This must be it," he murmured as he set his eyes upon a library that seemed to be a church. Great edifices of stone stood tall and high with might as people moved in and out of the place of knowledge.

He stepped through the threshold and his breath was taken from him at the magnificent sight. Rows upon rows stood as tall as three story buildings filled with books, both ancient and new. People climbed ladders or floated upon hovering platforms of stone with dust infused in them or atop glyphs powered by individuals. Keepers of the library strode about in flowing robes, most of them elderly while a few were young.

Approaching a rather large desk like structure with a young girl bent over a book, pen in hand.

"Uh, excuse me?" he called and she looked up, seeing Monty standing there with the scroll.

"Yes?"

"I was given this to gain access to the Mystic Archives?" he questioned and she rose up, straightening to reveal an actually older face, the face of an adult rather than a child.

Upon seeing his shocked expression, the woman chuckled and took the scroll, "Yes, my height does portray me as younger."

Unrolling it, she focused on the many different symbols that adorned the parchment before her eyes widened.

"Oh," she spoke and looked around for any one who would eavesdrop or peek. "Come, the archives are this way."

She lead the dragonslayer hastily through the library, past shelves and cabinets, through archways and under bridges. This place was like a labyrinth, suddenly a vast land of old and new ideas concealed within the walls of a simple library.

"Here," the woman spoke as she stopped at a wall, the symbol of Vacuo etched onto it. Placing her hand on it, Monty watched as a glow encased her, a soft glow of various colors that seemed to transfer into the stone. A glyph appeared under her and spun slowly before disappearing. "Welcome to the Mystic Archives, Monty Oum."

He was stunned at her knowledge of his name, but he became astounded when the wall opened up to reveal a passageway deep underground. Gesturing towards it, she let a smirk grace her lips and began walking once more. The unnatural blonde followed her with cautious steps, unsure what could lie so deep beneath the kingdom that the queen would need him to present some document to the librarian.

"Welcome," she suddenly spoke and he narrowly escaped running into her small frame before stepping back slightly, "to the Mystic Archives."

She had turned and with a wave of her arm, she presented a vast hall with two enormous shelves running down either side of it. At the center was the symbol of Vacuo engraved on a stone platform with a sort of table that many archivists were reading or recording at.

"This way."

"Um, wait," he asked and she obliged, stopping in mid stride to turn towards him.

"Yes?"

"I, uh... who, are you?"

"Why I would be Evelyn Vacil, the head archivist for the history of Remnant."

"Oh, um..."

"Awestruck, aren't you?" the small, elder spoke, not so much of an elder, but still rather small.

"Well, yes."

"Yes, well, I suppose I should show you what the queen wishes for you to see."

As they walked, he tilted his head in confusion, curious as to what Queen Vale would want him to know, "What? What does she want me to see?"

"This," her voice softly stated and placed a hand on the rim of the table.

Immediately, everyone backed away and watched as her hand glowed with a glyph beneath it. It disappeared and the table began opening up, transforming the center into a pedestal upon which an enormous tome the size of a stone brick sat.

"The Dust Grimoire, the oldest container of recorded knowledge in all of our world."

"Whoa," Mounty breathed as he moved to stand next to her, closer to the ancient relic.

"Whoa, indeed, Mister Oum."

The woman moved her body forward and up, gripping the book in her hands. She pulled it towards them, setting it down on the rim of the large table and opening its contents. Pages spilled out, flipping over and over and over again. Soon, the book settled and the dragonslayer observed the different letters and symbols scrawled into it in rows and columns and small lines or big ones.

Information immortalized in ink and laid to rest within the tome.

"Queen Mavis seeks the legendary fleet of Atmos does she?" Evelyn questioned and Monty raised an eyebrow, tilting his head in confusion. "Well she will find its resting place within the Dust Grimoire."

She moved her gaze to the book and moved a finger under a line, her eyes slowly following the tip of her nail.

"To reach Atlas safely with her armies, the Queen must acquire the revered fleet of Atmos. Only then will the Grimm be unable to halt the expansion of Mankind," she explained and nodded her head at an archivist.

The archivist ran off and soon returned with a rolled up map, handing it to Monty Oum without hesitation.

"Tell her that the fleet of Atmos resides at the Forsaken Mountain within the old ruins of Cosmistar," Evelyn Vacil ordered and set the Dust Grimoire back into its hiding place, letting it sink into the table once more.

* * *

Months later, Monty found himself accompanying the Gold Legion. With General George King leading the quest, Monty had no doubt that the legion would be lead to victory having seen how the dark skinned man operated during several lessons from him.

Marching blocks of soldiers traversed out of the city walls and then past the natural walls of Vale. Past hills and over plains, through valleys and under the crying clouds. Stopping at ruined outposts and old villages, staving off the creatures of Grimm that roamed the outside world as well as diseases and natural wildlife, they pressed on.

The young man with artificial blonde hair found only one person whom he could confide in on this journey, a princess. Mavis Vale the Second had asked to join the quest and her mother allowed it, knowing the skill her daughter held. Fire danced on her skin as she fought with her blades cut through black and red flesh.

Soon the legion found itself before the mighty Forsaken Mountain, isolated from all other ranges and left to be snowed upon at its cap or lived upon at its base. Near the center section of it stayed the ruins of an old kingdom, one that had lasted fewer years, gold years albeit, but fewer years than most.

"Ideas on what we'll find?" Mavis questioned as they walked up a natural staircase, the slanted pile of dirt leading upwards towards large stone pillars that acted as a threshold.

"Giant stone buildings with Grimm that we need to exterminate!" King shouted and the duo chuckled as the soldiers held back snickers.

Holding up muskets, the company slowly entered with caution, arms raised. They waved the barrels around, searching for no enemy in particular. For a moment, the soldiers remained still, silent and observant before pulling their weapons up.

"Alright, set up camp!" General King ordered and sheathed a sword in his hand. "We got work in the morning!"

And so they obliged, setting up tents and igniting a campfire to sit around. Songs were sung and tales were shared as the legion conversed in rest. Monty Oum, however, found himself sitting on a balcony, the princess of Vale next to him.

"So? How's life?" the young woman asked, a smile and a tilt of her head caused her to be undeniable.

"Dad's working at a store, get's paid well. Siblings are going to school, older ones have jobs-"

"What about you?"

"Me?"

"Yeah, got any special lady?" she interrogated, moving in close so her lips were barely an inch from his ear.

Immediately, the Mistralian's cheeks burned red as he fell over, embarrassed at the question.

"I, uh..."

"Or is there a special guy?"

"No, no, no! She is-"

Monty bit his tongue, cursing mentally as a smirk played out on her fair skinned face.

"Oo, who is she?"

"I... she works at a cafe," he groaned in defeat and the princess knight leaned up against a pillar, relaxing as she pressed the back of her head against her hands.

"Oh? What's her name."

He looked at her, then moved his eyesight to the side, looking at the moon before answering, "...Sheena."

Expecting laughter, the dyed blonde began rolling his eyes, but he was met with silence.

"Mavi-"

A finger found its way onto his lips and he looked up into ember blue eyes, wide with alertness. She shushed him and started moving back towards the camp... the empty camp. He picked up a helmet, left to sit on the ground, rolling around with a light ringing sound.

"Where are the soldiers?" Monty questioned and looked over, seeing several other campfires with soldiers around them. "Where are these soldiers?"

A scream answered them and almost every armed man or woman stood up, pulling their blades or blunt heads up. Everyone rushed to find four of their comrades fighting nine men, all dressed in skeletal, silver armor. It was not skeletal in the aspect of bones, however, it was thin like bones, but curved into sharp edges and terrifying appearances.

Some wore hoods, others had on helms, but all their faces were shrouded in darkness as sharply armored hands swung swords or maces.

"Come on!" General King shouted and charged, his hands holding a great double headed axe which he used to embed one of the attackers into a wall.

To his surprise, and great shock, he witnessed his victim turn into smoke, trailing over to stand behind him, reforming back into humanoid form. It gave a few hisses of incomprehensible words and began to attack. Quickly, Monty came to the gung-ho general's rescue and pulled up a sword, stopping the strange man's attack. Mavis jumped to the chance and impaled it through the back, but it turned into smoke again and reformed elsewhere.

"They're demons! Spirits!" a soldier shouted and pulled up a shield as did all the others around him forming a phalanx formation.

"Stand your ground!" General King roared and heaved his axe out of the stone, pulling it up to hold it in the air. "Who are ye all!"

The men/spirits gave hisses and charged, a dozen more appearing with them. The Gold Legion did the same, moving to attack the spirits as well. Bodies flew and smoke shot around, the soldiers slowly fell to the ground, some dead, others wounded.

Monty backed up into Mavis' back, but that did not hinder either of them. Just as they had practiced many times before, they began moving their feet to the right, shuffling around to fight literally back-to-back. He swung his sword, cutting down two that disintegrated and reformed across the battlefield, or in actuality, the summit ruins. Every step that Mavis took melted snow as her body heated up, her semblance creating flames off her hands and into her twin blades.

The shadow like figures seemed to be invincible as they cut down the Gold Legion, but the soldiers of Vale stood their ground nonetheless.

"What are they?" Mavis asked as she incinerated yet another Shade that simply flew off in a trail of smoke like shadows.

"They give off anger," he said, speaking about the sudden atmosphere of rage that seemed to come off the spirits.

The feeling of anger and hate was strong amongst them as they fought, Monty could tell by the scowls and roars of rage that erupted from his comrades.

"Are they really spirits?"

"I don't know."

"Any idea how we can stop them?"

"No," he answered and jumped back from a swing of a Shade.

Unfortunately for him, the pillar he had hoped to use as a base to jump off of was far from sturdy. It quickly crumbled and he let out a yell of surprise as he fell with it, tumbling down some rocky faces onto a balcony of sorts. Groaning, he looked up to see fire above him and the the sounds of metal rending and clashing caught his ears. Putting a hand behind him to support his weight as he rose, he felt a brittle substance crack.

Pulling up a branch, he grumbled until the light of the fire shined on decaying, white bone. His eyes bulged and he dropped the piece of skeleton, looking down to see the skeletal remains of a man in armor. Realization struck him in an instant, the old tales of his childhood returning with a vengeance.

In an instant, he had climbed up the rocky face, yelling at people to drop their weapons.

"Stop! Stop!" he shouted repeatedly, continually, and rapidly as he ran with waving arms, his sword abandoned on the balcony below. "Drop your weapons! Do it!"

"What? Why!"

He turned towards the general whom held a face of anger on.

"Because that's why their attacking! They think we're invaders!" he stated and the general seemed skeptical until he let his axe drop to the floor.

Slowly, the soldiers of the Gold Legion let their blades and blunt headed weapons hit the stone ground. Muskets clattered with metal blades and heads, all of them abandoned at the feet of the wielders. The sound of clattering was louder than the sound of marching as the ghostly specters neared them, but when the first spirit raised its blade against Monty, it stopped. The dyed blonde sucked in a vast breath, letting his lungs fill with fear as the shadowy being lowered its sword arm.

"What are you?" he asked and the being gave more of its hissing language.

The remaining soldiers gave each other side way glances and grunts of disapproval, but none dared to provoke the army of shadows.

A hunch formed in Monty's mind, the skeleton below fueling his curiosity and so he asked for confirmation, "Are you... are you ghosts? The ghosts of this place's soldiers, I mean."

For a moment, the shadow in front of him let out several hisses and remained still, but immediately after Monty let out his deep breath, its appearance shifted. Before it was an ethereal armored being in skeletal silver armor, but now it was a man, young and fit. It shifted to have the creases of a veteran, the look in its haunting eyes holding weariness. Then, it became a skeletal face, dead and daunting.

"They're... spirits... the ghosts of Cosmistar," Mavis breathed next to him, watching as the spirits slowly faded away.

The final ghost did not fade immediately though. Instead, it raised a hand and pointed towards an enormous stone edifice built into the mountain, a great stone pavilion sitting before it with dilapidated staircases allowing access up to its rusted, metal doors. When all their heads returned from gazing at the threshold, they watched the spirit vanish into grey dust, finally at rest.

Silence filled the air that had been permeated with screams and roars only moments before, but it was broken by George King whom held a disturbed expression.

"The boys'll never believe me when I tell 'em this."

* * *

**Done**

**So there it is**

**They've arrived at their destination and set to rest an ancient army of ghosts**

**Nice, right?**

**If the ghost part seems unsettling?**

**Well didn't Ruby see the ghost of Summer?**

**Huh?**

**Well, I'm making a lot of this come full circle**

**This lone mountain out here in the middle of nowhere in particular will have its name soon**

**I know a lot of you will like how this ends up**

**Also**

**For the ending of this fiction**

**It will consist of a probably long epilogue with scenes of this prequel story and how I imagine RWBY's conflict would end if this were canon**

**Anyways**

**Thanks for reading, all of you, just thank you**

**I am gracious for all your support**

**I hope you enjoy this memorial fiction for Monty Oum as I hope he enjoys our praise towards him and his work**


	5. Battle of the Mountain

**Hi everyone**

**Welcome back to the memorial story**

**So, now that we've established greetings**

**Onto the rest of the notes**

**So**

**We've seen the army of ghosts from Atmos**

**Now we're heading over to Atlas soon with a fleet**

_**But**_

**Here's the big question**

**How are they getting a fleet of ships from all the way inland to the sea?**

**Well you'll see**

**Also**

**At the start here, we'll be returning to Ruby and Ozpin**

**Need them in the story if this is going to be a retelling of a tale**

**Let us begin**

* * *

"Wow."

Ruby's eyes were wide, her mouth dropped down farther than it had ever been before. Zwei, whom had slept next to her, had begun circling her now, running energetically and joyfully. Ozpin smiled, tilting his head slightly with an amused expression before he began standing.

"Um, where are you going?"

"I have much work to do as you have much learning to do as well," he answered and nudged his head towards the cavern ceiling.

Several beams of sunlight shot down into the cavern, pouring a golden ray on the duo, trio if Zwei were to be counted.

"Oh," the petite crimsonette spoke, shocked at how much time she had spent listening to the story."

As the two moved towards another entrance to the cave, presumably a more discreet exit than the one in Beacon Avenue. The headmaster, student, and pet dog stood together in a compact elevator, letting the lift send them up to the surface.

"So, uh, Ozpin?"

"Yes, Ruby?"

"What happened next? How did they get a fleet all the way to the ocean?"

"That, my dear Ruby Rose, is a question for another time. Perhaps later tonight in my office?"

"Really?" she gasped, excited at hearing the rest of the first huntsman's tale.

"Of course, I'll have Glynda fetch you."

"Cool!" she squealed, but blushed a shade of red at seeing his amused face.

Finally, the elevator stopped and doors opened to reveal the Beacon Cliffs. Stepping out, Ruby observed the dilapidated stone bricks of some ruins close up, sewing itself back into its original form. Leading her towards her class, Ozpin held a smile on his face, placing his foot and cane in front of him with every step.

"Hey, Professor Ozpin?"

"Yes, Ruby?"

"Why are you telling me this?" she asked, tilting her head with a confused look. "I mean, you already told me its because I have all this potential and stuff, but why this story _exactly_?"

"Because," the silver haired huntsman began and turned, his face a solemn one now, "a hero is not measured by his strength, feats, or mind. They are measured by their strength of will, on their loyalty and determination, the perseverance they utilize to finish their quests."

A bitter smile had appeared on her lips, but it as a smile nonetheless.

"Take this into mind, Miss Rose."

Ruby flinched at hearing his change of tone, from the jolly one to the more solemn voice. His eyes showed a certain weariness and a numerous amount of suddenly visible creases showed his seriousness.

"The past is as connected to the future as your scythe is a part of you."

Those words became embedded in her soul, forged into her inner most thoughts as she realized what he exactly meant.

* * *

With great effort and large breaths of air, several of the Gold Legion soldiers managed to pull the blockades off the massive metal doors. Monty and Mavis breathed in awe at the sight that revealed itself to them. Large ships hovered, suspended with cords of metal from the ceiling and docked to large stone docks built into the chamber.

"Of course!" Mavis shouted, her face brightening up with a kind of revelation. "The Kingdom of Atmos was known for its air superiority!"

"Meaning?" General King questioned, lighting a smoke pipe and sticking it in his mouth while scratching the sparse amount of beard hair he sported.

She sighed and put a hand over her face, but answered nonetheless, "Atmos was superior in aerial power, thus flying ships!"

The warrior princess pointed at the ships, all docked with enormous, deflated balloons lying on their decks.

"Whoa," both men exclaimed, taken back by the advanced technology the older kingdom had used.

The young woman sighed, walking towards the ship while muttering on about "stupid men" and "why are there not more woman in the army".

Before the general or champion could move with her, however, a soldier ran in. Gasping and heaving for breath, he sat on his knees, hands on his legs as he took in gulps of air at a time.

"Whatcha running for, soldier?"

"Th-the... the valley, sir..." he gasped out and coughed a bit before standing, his legs wobbling slightly. "Grimm, an entire horde, headed this way."

"What!" the dark skinned man thundered, his armored hands clenching. "How!"

"The fighting," Monty spoke and gestured at the men reloading their muskets at the ruins below, "we must've attracted them with the sound of our fighting."

The two looked at each other for a brief moment before the general turned to his men, shouting orders to build up a defense. Mavis ran over, fear in her eyes as she unsheathed one of her swords.

"How are we supposed to take out an entire Grimm horde?"

The dyed blonde quickly looked around, searching for anything to help them win the coming battle. Down below, he could see and hear the soldiers toppling pillars and turning them into barricades, doing the same with buildings and piles of rubble. Makeshift walls were built out of the rubble and whatever stable buildings used as bunkers from which to shoot out of.

"The ships," Monty finally spoke up and looked over at them, eyeing the ancient cannons sticking out of their sides, "can we still use those guns?"

"I don't know, maybe," the princess spoke, scratching her head of scarlet hair, "might have to check if they're clogged with stuff. I don't even know if there's any ammunition lying around."

"Probably is," General King spoke and made an ordering motion with his arm, "come on men! We got some ships to fix up!"

* * *

The howls of monsters resounded through the night, battering the lonely mountain with their resonating terror. A mass of black began climbing the rocky faces, claws digging into stone as the Creatures of Grimm hunted the source of the sounds and smells. Deathstalkers and Ursi marched up natural staircases, fighting amongst each other at times as they bunched up. Beowolves, being the more versatile of their kind, climbed the mountain by hand. However, their plan failed as the moment their heads peered over the cliff faces, muskets went off.

Gun smoke filled the air as the soldiers reloaded and the sounds of bodies hitting the ground reached their ears moments later. The many howls, roars, and hisses of other Grimm rang up to the summit ruins in which General King watched. His axe sat on his shoulder as his men stood on either side of each other. He put out the smoke of his pipe and set it back into its bag before lurching his arm, holding his axe for proper combat.

"Come on, boys. Time to slaughter!" he boomed and leapt off the building, landing on his feet as a soft glow of aura encased him. "To battle, sons of Vale!"

"Nuva!" they shouted in unison, locking metal shields together and holding muskets or spears over them. Every soldier continued chanting the war cry, bellowing it out as the first Grimm came into sight.

Once a full line of the monsters appeared, the first row of guns opened fire. Flashes of burning colors filled their eyes as gun smoke reached their nostrils. They quickly reloaded as the second row stepped up, aiming their muskets and firing again to kill the next line of Grimm along with any survivors of the first line. This continued on until the assortment of black and white reached the shield wall, battering into the metal sheets.

The soldiers desperately held the line, holding their natural enemy back as they clawed and snapped at the locked shields. When the first soldier fell under the feet of the monsters, the rest of the wall fell, most of it falling back as guns fired off and blades or blunt heads were swung.

General King chopped and cut, slicing off limbs and heads, making body parts roll as he bore his grit teeth. Black blood splattered over red blood, mixing into the darkest of hues that stank of pure death. It almost seemed as if Death was there, the corporeal form of Death that hovered some measure off the ground with his void black cloak and skeletal features, a scythe in hand. The Grimm were relentless, merciless, full of rage and rage alone. That battered and cut open metal armor, ripping open the soldiers of the Gold Legion.

"Retreat!" King ordered, waving his axe in the air as his men fell back, running for their lives to the second wall.

After the last man had jumped the makeshift wall of rubble, a line of gunman opened fire. Muskets sounded off with bangs and more gun smoke permeated the air. The Grimm fell, heads barely attached to their bodies with the musket rounds embedded in their skulls and upper torso.

Monty raised his head, hearing the gunfire and looked back, watching the entrance with a haunting dread in his gut.

"Monty!"

He snapped his attention back to the princess, her teeth grit and baring.

"We can't save them if the ship isn't moving!" she angrily yelled and cut off another rope with her sword.

He nodded and swung his own sword, a heavier, sturdier one that was far larger in size comparison to her slimmer, streamline one. On the occasion, he would curse as he swung to far and/or hard causing wooden splinters to fly from the posts he had embedded his blade in. Pulling it free, he cut the last rope and the ship lurched, rising higher than it had before. The massive inflatable balloon was at full size, filled with the heated air of a dust crystal, finely cut.

"Okay, how do we steer?" Monty asked and the redheaded Remnant Knight gave him a surprised look.

"I, uh, you don't know?"

"Wh-what? You think I know how to steer a ship?"

"You came in on one!"

"I was a watchman in the raven's nest!"

"Didn't the captain teach you anything?"

"No!"

"Then let's try this!" she yelled and pulled a lever next to the captain's wheel.

It lurched again, this time moving forward and out as rotors at the back began spinning. Air was controlled then, used by the knight and champion to move the ship. Large canvas and wooden wings like those of a fish waved up and down on the great floating ship.

"Whoa!" they both shouted as their balance was lost, sending them stumbling into the railing.

"Look!" Mavis shouted and Monty's eyes turned towards the summit ruins they floated by, the Gold Legion slowly being drowned in darkness. "Arm the cannons... Arm the cannons!"

The dyed blonde went to work immediately, stuffing ammunition into the cannons with whatever gunpowder was needed. The princess and several soldiers followed, filling them up and stuffing them. The fuses sat atop them, yellowed and browned with age, but still flammable.

"Come on, come on!" Monty silently yelled, scraping the fire dust crystal on the stone block, trying to ignite the fuse.

"Get out of the way," Mavis stated and snapped her fingers, a tongue of flame lit in between her thumb and pointer.

Placing the tongue on the fuse, she began running down the line, igniting each one. They waited in anxious silence as the sparks disappeared into the iron cannons, and then they jumped. The resonating booms that followed the gun smoke and blazing flashes shook them to the core. Blurs of grey and black flew through the air before utterly destroying the Grimm horde.

Buildings crumbled and edifices exploded raining rubble and dust everywhere. Fires ignited and burned with a vengeance as they seared flesh, either that of Men or of Grimm. The duo watched from the floating ship as the Gold Legion managed to make a foothold, holding back the black tide of death.

Suddenly, however, the ship lurched again as they rose higher than they should have.

"The controls!" Mavis shouted and a soldier ran to the helm, grabbing the wheel and turning it.

Another ran up and gripped a lever, pushing it forward which caused the balloon above to slightly deflate. He pulled back and stopped the flow of air, holding them at an elevation close to the ground.

"You alright up there!"

They turned to look down at General King who was swinging his axe, embedding the steel blade into the bodies of any Grimm ignorant enough to be near him.

"Yeah, fine!" Monty shouted back, caressing a bruising side as he leaned against a wooden post. "Alright, now what?"

"Well, now we reload the cannons," his princess partner answered, but looked down upon realizing a fact. "The ammunition."

"What?"

"We used all the ammunition!"

"What! How?"

"The cannons, we used all the cannons!" she stated and pointed at the side they had fired from. "We used all the ammunition in the cannons, we're out!"

The dragonslayer stared at her, shock and horror etched on his face as he slowly turned his gaze to the wall of soldiers with their shields and weapons up. The Grimm were rallying, joining around a howling Beowolf, an alpha. They were preparing to storm the Summit Ruins and wash any life away with death.

"Oh no," was all the dyed blonde could muster from his breath and leaned down against the railing, "what do we-"

He bit his tongue, a plan, a desperate plan was forming in his head.

"I need something loud," he exclaimed, jamming his hands into the knapsack he carried.

Tossing around whatever he had in there, he could only find old paintings of his family, of Sheena, little trinkets, some leftover food, and nothing else that could help him.

"How loud?" Mavis asked, her arms crossed as she nervously squirmed on the balls of her feet.

"Louder than the cannons," he claimed and got up, grabbing her shoulders. She stood stunned at the proximity he was at, the suddenness of his face that close to hers. "Something loud enough to wake the dead."

"The dead?" she asked and her eyes widened as the knight realized his plan. "The Atmosian Army of Ghosts."

"Hopefully, they're just sleeping," he said and looked around, "but we still need something loud enough to wake them up."

Together, the champion, the knight, and the soldiers searched the ship, trying to find something, anything that could help them. They opened up cabinets, old barrels, and ancient chests. At one point they discovered the flying ship's inner workings, a set of gears, belts, chains, and old dust crystals being used to power and move the aerial transport.

"Here!" he finally shouted in relief, finding a barrel of gunpowder, but gunpowder alone. "We can rig this in a cannon!"

"That much gunpowder could blow up a cannon," Mavis stated as they rolled it onto the deck.

"Exactly!"

"What?"

"We drop it full of gunpowder while its lit."

"And use it like a bomb!"

The mischievous two began their plan, their smiles dropping to frowns as the sounds of battle recommenced.

"That's it!" one of the soldiers shouted and plugged the cannon with a wad of old cloth.

Hoisting it onto the railing, Mavis quickly moved a tongue of flame near the fuse. Monty drove the ship over the battle, aiming the drop zone over the alpha Beowolf.

"Wait for it," he said and the arms of the soldiers holding the makeshift bomb trembled from the weight, "wait for it." Mavis' hand twitched, the tongue of flame barely centimeters from licking the fuse. "Now!"

She moved her hand forward, then back as the soldiers dropped the gunpowder filled cannon. They watched it disappear into the sea of Grimm, landing with a satisfying squish before an enormous explosion tore through the air. The whole of the ship creaked and groaned from the force, sending them a little ways off from their initial position.

"Come on," Monty murmured as he ran to the side, holding the railing with his hands as the Grimm got back up and the soldiers repaired their wall of shields. "We need your help."

They listened to the sound of stomping feet, furred legs striking the ground with claws scratching stone as the Grimm charged. Beowolves were the fastest of the horde and so were in the front of the mass of black and white color. The Ursi were slower, waddling in the back while giving loud roars from their maws. In between them sat various kinds of other Grimm, the most prominent being Deathstalkers.

"Stand yer ground!" King shouted as he slowly paced back and forth behind the shield wall. "Stand yer ground! Stand! Stand for Vale! And for yer families!"

"Nuva!" his troops roared and let go of their tension, taking their stances and preparing for the final onslaught.

Suddenly, however, a loud, terrifying noise cut through the air like a sword through paper. At first, they had feared that a flock of Nevermore had arrived onto the scene, but they were mistaken. Monty watched with awe as clouds of black smoke like figures descended down, appearing in skeletal, silver armor before the army of men. The army of ghosts charged, diving into the Grimm horde and slaughtering them.

The Gold Legion watched with shock, but quickly acted up on the general's orders.

"What are ye waiting for? Charge!" the dark skinned man bellowed and leaped over a fallen, stone pillar.

With axe in hand, he and his brothers-in-arms followed the deceased Atmosian army into the fray.

"Come on!" Mavis shouted and dove off the ship, erupting in flames and incinerating the Grimm she landed on. "Nuva!"

Her blades were blurs of silver as she swung and slashed, cutting Grimm up with wounds or even dismembering them. From above, Monty Oum watched, a smile on his face as he observed the waning battle.

"Victory is ours," he murmured as the last Grimm fell upon a blade of steel.

* * *

"So, can we understand you?" General King questioned as he stood in front of the ghostly form of the Atmosian general, at least, what remained.

The deceased general let out a series of hisses of unintelligible speech before shaking its helm donned head. Monty crossed his arms, putting his weight on one leg while the other lazily sat next to it. Mavis sat atop a stone pedestal, her legs crossed under her as she sat her hands on her knees.

"Can we at least get a name?" Monty questioned and the ghost turned its haunting blue eyes towards him.

"Glenn," it spoke and looked back at its troops.

Letting out another set of hisses, it stepped back and trio nodded.

"You should get some rest now, old boy. Ya defended this place to the last soul," General King suggested and the shadow of a being seemed to nod before evaporating into the trails of black smoke, disappearing forever into the afterlife as did his army. "Glenn... sounds like a nice name."

He turned to look up at the peak of the mountain above before sliding the end of his smoke pipe into his mouth. Letting a puff of the grey smoke out, he nodded his head slowly.

"Mountain Glenn, has a nice ring to it."

"Sure does, now," Mavis began and jumped off her pedestal, landing right on her feet with grace. "We should load the ships up, get them out of here. I don't know about you guys, but one horde was enough for a long while."

She walked backwards with fingers pointed at the duo before she tripped and landed on her back. However, she jumped back up and pretended like she hadn't fallen. The two men laughed at the comical action and followed her to the flying fleet's docks where the remains of the Gold Legion was camped out. The bodies of their fallen lay under the decks of the ships, under tarps and respectfully laid to rest for the moment.

"Wonder how mom will react to this," Mavis questioned as Monty walked up behind her, hands in his pockets as he nodded.

* * *

It was a rather unique sight as Queen Mavis Vale stood before her castle. Floating above her kingdom was a fleet of at least a hundred ships, the front most holding her eldest daughter and her champion along with the general of her armies. It as the first to land and she as the first to approach her.

"My, my, you do deliver," the queen spoke as she smiled, amused at seeing the blushing face of Monty Oum.

"Thank you, malady," he said and bowed respectfully as did the others around him.

"Rise, heroes."

She motioned her hand up and they all obliged as she moved her head to her daughter.

"Mavis, your siblings are anxious to hear about the outer lands. I'd sate their desire for knowledge before they hunt you down," she suggested and the redheaded princess immediately ran off, disappearing into the castle.

Turning her head to the general, she bowed her head before she spoke, "General King, yet another victory. I do hope more troops lived through this ordeal than the last expedition?"

The dark skinned general shook his head, a frown on his face as he puffed another ring of smoke from his mouth.

"I'll need to borrow some of your messengers. Got a lot of letters to write," he bitterly said and walked into the castle with his axe on his shoulder.

Finally turning towards the dyed blonde, her smile seemingly dropped. He noticed and took a cautious step forward, his tense arms at his side.

"Is something wrong, Queen Mavis?"

"No, no," she lied and looked up at the fleet that moved to find a place to land, "I just... these are troubling times, young master Oum. The people are anxious as ever to return to their homelands and it falls upon me to help them do so."

"I'm sure that you will succeed, malady-"

"Monty," she spoke and he was taken back by her informality, "you are a friend of the royal family. You may call me Mavis if you so may choose." She pursed her lips as she paused and then shook her head, chuckling as she did. "Actually, that may confuse my daughter and I together, perhaps it would be best if my title remained with me."

Monty let a shy smile show and she smiled brightly back before aiming her eyes to the distance, far towards the docks beyond.

"Master Oum," she began and pulled up a small scroll she had been clutching tightly in her hand, "I am truly sorry, but I have yet another quest for you."

"Another?" he asked, confused as one of his eye brows rose.

"Yes," she began and looked towards the ship he had come from, "my advisers and those who are higher than my advisers all agree that if we were to replicate the air superiority that the old Kingdom of Atmos held, and then apply it to our own modern fleet, then we could easily cross the open seas and retake our home."

The dragonslayer pondered on that, contemplating on that plan and slowly he began nodding.

"This is an issue for the dock workers to begin working on one of the grandest ships in the harbor," she explained and he took the scroll, "it is known as the Ark, rumored to have cleaved its way through the seas with the remnants of Atlas aboard it. If we are to create our own flying ships, the Ark would make a find flagship."

Monty smiled and nodded before turning to head towards the docks.

"The quest need not be complete by tonight, however," the queen called and he stopped, looking over at her. "You deserve some days of rest with family, friends... and perhaps a love."

A blush crept onto his cheeks and he quickly left to meet with his brothers, sisters, and father again. He smiled at the memory of his family, then of those he had befriended, and then he blushed at the thought of Sheena.

* * *

**There it is**

**The end of chapter 5**

**So, thanks all of you for reading**

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**Sincerely,  
Lord Revan Flame**


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